SKILLBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING GUIDANCE

[Tony]

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//

ROUTINE

R 221618Z JUL 22 MID200080049455U

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO NAVADMIN

INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC

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NAVADMIN 160/22

PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUL//

SUBJ/SKILLBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING GUIDANCE//

REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/171359ZSEP15//
REF/B/DOC/DOD/24JAN14//
REF/C/DOC/ASN/26JUL13///
REF/D/DOC/USD/21NOV12///
REF/E/DOC/USC/1JAN22//
REF/F/DOC/DOD/JUN2019//

NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 222/15, SKILLBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING 
PROGRAM.  
REF B IS DOD INSTRUCTION 1322.29, JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING, 
APPRENTICESHIPS, AND INTERNSHIPS FOR ELIGIBLE SERVICE MEMBERS.  
REF C IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY MEMORANDUM, IMPLEMENTATION 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION 1143(E) OF TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE.  
REF D IS UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMORANDUM, DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM, 
IMPLEMENTING MANDATORY TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION FOR 
ELIGIBLE SERVICE MEMBERS.  
REF E IS 10 U.S. CODE SECTION 1143.  
REF F IS THE DOD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION VOLUME 7A.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN cancels and replaces reference (a), by clarifying 
program requirements, updating Sailor eligibility, instituting a centralized 
registration process, clarifying command approval procedures, and updating 
the SkillBridge point of contact.
References (b) through (e) provide authority for the Navy to implement 
employment skills training and transition assistance programs.

2.  The SkillBridge program is designed to help eligible members departing 
the Naval service.  Reference (b) defines an eligible member as any member of 
the Armed Forces who has completed at least
180 days on Active Duty (AD) in the Armed Forces and is expected to be 
discharged or released from AD within 180 days of the date of commencement of 
participation in the SkillBridge program.  Sailors may not extend their 
enlistment to complete a SkillBridge program.

3.  To balance Sailor benefits and mission readiness, SkillBridge 
participation should not normally begin any earlier than 120 days prior to 
actual separation/retirement date.  In no case shall SkillBridge 
participation begin any earlier than 180 days prior to actual 
separation/retirement date.  Sailors may not use leave or any other 
authorized absence to begin a SkillBridge program greater than
180 days from separation.  Any approved separation, terminal leave, and 
permissive temporary duty (TDY) shall occur following SkillBridge 
participation.  Sailors will remain the responsibility of the parent command 
for administrative purposes.  As such, SkillBridge participants must make 
weekly contact with their command point of contact for personnel 
accountability.  Failure to maintain weekly contact may result in program 
termination and return to the permanent duty station (PDS) at the members 
expense.

4.  Sailors must meet the following eligibility requirements:
    a.  Be separating from the Navy and have sufficient time remaining under 
their contract to complete the program prior to established separation date.
    b.  Have successfully passed their most recent physical fitness 
assessment.
    c.  Be recommended for advancement or promotion and retention on most 
recent evaluation or fitness report.
    d.  Have completed their Transition Assistance Program requirements.
    e.  Have attended an ethics brief or completed a DoD (Department of 
Defense) approved ethics training presentation within the 12 months prior to 
the start of the SkillBridge program.
    f.  Have not previously completed, be currently participating in, or had 
participation terminated from an employment skills training program.

5.  SkillBridge is not an entitlement.  Commanding officers (COs) and 
officers in charge with non-judicial punishment authority maintain final 
approval authority.  COs have full authority to disapprove or modify 
participation based on mission requirements.
COs should carefully consider command readiness when granting permission to 
participate in the program in light of the fact that personnel backfills are 
not normally available until the actual separation/retirement date of the 
participant.
    a.  COs shall evaluate each request to participate in SkillBridge on the 
merits as they impact the individual Sailor and mission readiness.  Commands 
shall not implement any additional restrictions on participation based on 
such criteria as rank/grade, education, skills, length of service, etc.
    b.  Commands should establish a formal process to assess the impact of 
SkillBridge participation on mission readiness.
    c.  SkillBridge participation need not align with the Sailors military 
skill set.
    d.  Command policies or instructions should address application 
timelines, procedures and personnel accountability for participants, to 
include periodic contact with the command.
    e.  Commands will place all SkillBridge participants on permissive TDY 
travel orders for the duration of their program until commencement of 
separation, terminal leave, and permissive TDY, if authorized.  This applies 
to programs both outside and within the area of the Sailors PDS.
    f.  SkillBridge is considered official duty, authorized to be completed 
during normal work days and hours.  Commands will place Sailors in a duty-
free status while participating in SkillBridge.

6.  Sailors may only participate in a SkillBridge program with industry 
partners or employers that have an approved memorandum of understanding (MOU) 
with the DoD.  A list of approved programs can be found on the SkillBridge 
web portal, located at https://skillbridge.osd.mil/organizations.htm.  
Organizations listed on the website are in good standing with DoD.  COs will 
only approve participation through the end of the approved MOU in cases where 
a partners MOU will expire during a Sailors requested SkillBridge period.  
COs may extend a Sailors participation if the MOU is renewed prior to 
expiration.
    a.  COs may not enter into an MOU to approve an employer or industry 
partner as a SkillBridge provider.
    b.  Installation COs may enter into MOUs with DoD approved providers for 
the purpose of operating a SkillBridge program on base.
    c.  A participation MOU or other similar agreement required by a 
SkillBridge provider to outline roles and responsibilities of each party 
(provider, Sailor, command) is authorized.

7.  Sailors receiving special and incentive (S and I) pays who participate in 
SkillBridge will be treated as if they are on separation leave or long term 
TDY with respect to continued eligibility for S and I pays.  If the policy 
for a particular S and I pay requires payments to stop when the member is on 
long term TDY or separation leave, commands must take action to stop the 
applicable S and I pay.  For those S and I pays not required by policy to 
stop for long term TDY or separation leave, COs will carefully consider the 
impact to mission readiness due to the loss of the critical skill in question 
before approving SkillBridge.  In line with reference (f), S and I pays are 
directly tied to incentivizing retention of critical skills for Navy 
missions, therefor COs are empowered to disapprove SkillBridge requests if 
they feel that allowing a Sailor to receive S and I pay during SkillBridge 
participation would inappropriately impact readiness.

8.  Registration Procedures:
    a.  To ensure accurate record keeping, effective immediately, any Sailor 
intending to participate in SkillBridge shall register with the OPNAV 
SkillBridge Registrar up to 365 days before expected date of separation.  
This shall be completed via encrypted email from the Sailor to the address in 
paragraph 11, with their command career counselor carbon copied.  Email must 
include the Sailors name, rate/designator, paygrade, name of the SkillBridge 
provider, as well as type of program (e.g. internship, skills training, or 
apprenticeship), location and desired dates of the program.
    b.  The OPNAV SkillBridge Registrar will record the Sailors intent to 
participate and respond to the Sailor and the command career counselor via 
email.  This acknowledgement shall then be routed to the CO with the Sailors 
request to participate.
    c.  COs may only approve SkillBridge requests from Sailors possessing 
acknowledgement of registration from the OPNAV SkillBridge Registrar.

9.  Upon CO approval of a registered SkillBridge participant, the command 
will enter the Sailor into Fleet Training, Management and Planning System to 
record SkillBridge participation as early as possible.  Course identification 
numbers for SkillBridge are S-3A-060 for programs between 1 and 60 days, S-
3A-0120 for courses between 61 and 120 days and S-3A-0180 for courses between 
121 and 180 days.  Commands must enter the date the Sailors SkillBridge 
program begins in the completion date field.  The command should notify the 
OPNAV SkillBridge Registrar of any registered Sailor who was disapproved so 
that they can be removed from the database.

10.  Use of travel funds to participate in SkillBridge is not authorized.  
Shipment of household goods is only permitted upon receipt of separation 
orders.

11.  Direct all questions regarding SkillBridge policy to 
navy_skillbridge.fct(at)navy.mil or by phone at (703)604-5310.

12.  This message will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, 
whichever occurs first.

13.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman Jr., N1.//

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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//